In September 2010 Memorygirl was challenged by a Mystery Mentor to become the trailblazer in an exciting new transatlantic experiment.

She was to be the first amongst her group of online friends to be mentored to create a Financially and Spiritually Abundant life from the ashes of her previous pre-credit crunch life.



For the full background, go to:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2445739&page=76 and search for post 1506.


Supported by her online cheerleaders, she accepted the challenge - and will do her best to fulfil and excel at the tasks set by her mysterious transatlantic mentor.


All her online friends are invited to play along - because if Memorygirl drops the baton for Britain, someone else will be selected to be mentored in her place.


Let this exciting adventure begin .....


Sunday 26 September 2010

TURN YOUR LIFE UPSIDE DOWN

So what do you do for a living?  What is it that fills your hours between 9 to 5?  And here's the kicker - does it make your heart sing? or does it just safely pay the bills?

Designing a life for yourself is not about, throwing in the job and striking out on your own.  Although I must confess that there are always people who will jump right on in with both feet and do just that.

Perhaps the question that would be a better one to change your thinking, change your midset, change the route of your life would be;

"What do you do between 5 and 9?" Yes you read that right - turn that sucker on its head.

Most new enterprises start in the twillight hours - a few hours here,a few hours there and few hours at the weekend.  As my Nona used to say "you don't have to throw the Baby out with the bathwater"

Lose an hour of TV per night, 7 per week, 364 hours per year.  Most of us work a 22 day month - so thats the equivalent of two an a half months of working time added onto your year right there.

What could you achieve if you had two and a half months to dedicate to it - learn an instrument, write a book, apply for a new job, find a great relationship?

Makes you kinda think doesn't it?

So what do you do in your 5 - 9?

Mr Big

Saturday 25 September 2010

SO I AM ON MY WAY

This has been written in advance – so I sure hope you guys have had a productive day together.  I can’t wait till I log in and find out what y’all up to.

A quotation from the great Benjamin Franklin to ponder:

“If a man empties his purse into his head, no one can take it away from him.  An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest”

In times of recession “what” you know is as important as “who” you know.  Now getting y’all working together to form the Memorygirl Matrix is an exciting and powerful way of maximising “who” you know.

My question for you tonight – is do you know what your future “investments in knowledge” need to be? Have you identified the “what” that you need to know but are missing?

Set it down on paper, set a goal, set an intention that the universe will send you the right teacher at the right time for you to effortlessly acquire that knowledge gap.

Knowledge is power – even better, knowledge is empowering.

So “what” do you need to know?

Mr Big

And you all thought it was a fortuitous that I chose to work with an expert in the “learning how to learn” field?  That was the intention I set x

Friday 24 September 2010

DREAM TO REALITY WISH

Hope you are having a fabulous Friday

I am packed and ready to head over to your side of the pond for a couple of days in London and then onward to Scotland. 

I intend to meet Memorygirl on Monday afternoon – what she doesn’t know is that I have arranged an “audition” before we have tea.  Before we go too much further I want to see her “onstage and in the flesh” – so some of the business exec’s I will be talking to on Monday night will arrive early to see her in action for a 40 minute presentation.

Hope you are ready to grab this opportunity with both hands Memorygirl?

Now tonight, I had a nice chunky piece of homework for you to get your teeth into over the weekend – but after reading Memorygirl’s post this morning on the forum I decided to throw out my plans and go with the flow.

I love the idea of you all working together to create massive shifts in your individual lives – whether that is getting off benefits, changing job, creating a business, downshifting or just creating a peaceful more tranquil life.  I’ve also been toying with Memorygirl’s 15 minute exercise – where you set a timer and go off and do something for fifteen minutes.

My suggestion is that an email list of everyone who wants to play “join the dots” is compiled and then one by one you can ask the collective for the bit of help that will really help you make the next massive leap.  The action should take no more than 15 minutes so that it is easy and fast for everyone to contribute to.

So – our virtual PA wants to be in contact with Accountants that have clients who may use her services.  Your task would not be to sell her services, but instead to hit the phone, your contacts – your accountant next door and in 15 minutes find as many accountants who would “put their hand up” and be interested in hearing more about her services. Then to simply feed her back their details.

15 minutes is not a lot – but when you multiply that by say 100 people in the Memorygirl Matrix – then you have the equivalent of 100 x 15  which is 25 hours worth of value instantly added to everyone’s goals.

Incidentally, this is not something I would be suggesting here in the States – you guys have a remarkable “what can I do for you?” attitude, here it’s more a “what’s in it for me” kinda thing.

So your homework until Sunday evening is:

If you could ask 100 people to do something for 15 minutes to catapult you forward – what would that thing be?

Then make sure that Memorygirl gets your email details and she will send you a quick form to fill out for you to write your “dream to reality wish” on.

And I will sit here and watch the magic unfold.

Mr Big

Wednesday 22 September 2010

PAMPER PARTY FOR ONE?

So have had a good think about planning ahead with your children?  But what about you?

When was the last time you had some really good time with yourself? - I know we played a little at the weekend - and your stories made me smile, cringe in recognition and laugh out loud, but where are the strategies that make it easy to carve out some "Me time"

Let me share what Mrs Big does - she has a pretty basket on a shelf outside our bathroom.  Over the week she lays a freshly laundered towel there, selects a beautifully scented candle, a book that she would like to read, various lotions and potions in sachets (she saves them from magazines too) and of course I am charged with returning home with any half-used hotel toiletries that she can pamper herself with.

At some point in her crazy week, she pours herself a glass of sparkling mineral water into one of the crystal goblets we got as a wedding gift - and takes herself into the bathroom for a pamper party for one.  Although if I've been good I am sometimes invited to join her for a visit.

Everyone knows - when the shelf is empty, Momma's having herself a spa session - do not disturb!. More importantly she feels that she can prepare through the week for some special time and take it just for her, its a system that works to help remind her that "When Mum's happy - most everybody's happy!"

So what systems can you put in place that allow you to take your rightful place at the center of the universe that is  your family?

Remember its all about balance.

Mr Big

Tuesday 21 September 2010

HANDS UP WHOS GOT KIDS THEN?

I have – have you?

Do you remember the day they were born – when you looked into those perfect newborn eyes and swore you would protect and cherish them forever?  And they looked at you – and you fell in love, and life would never ever be the same again.

When was the last time you and your child shared that look – the one that says, “you are the centre of my universe and I made a promise to always cherish you”?

Somehow, in the busy-ness  of life we forget to create those moments for our children, we get caught up in the school runs, clean laundry, soccer practice, homework, music recitals, dance class, horse riding mayhem – and simply forget to BE with our children.

Memorygirl has a son that’s 10.  She told me today that she wants to make sure that time with his is scheduled and honoured, because she feels that realistically she’s got about 4 years of weekends before he spreads his wings and needs to “hang out with the guys” in his transition to manhood. 

One great thing she does is have a family adventure day every weekend – where they hang out together and do stuff at the beach, in the mountains, by the lochs (is that right??  Memorygirl told me today that Scotland doesn’t have any lakes, it’s got these instead?)

She wants a simple strategy to remind herself through the week to create “adventures” for her boy in advance rather than hit the weekend with no surprises.  So here’s what we did;

She popped out to a thrift store and bought a large clear glass vase – and in that vase she places 208 marbles ( 4 years x 52 weekends). That vase now sits on top of her desk next to her computer – a daily reminder of why she is doing this work with me and where her priorities lie. Every time they have an adventure day she will remove one marble to keep her goal in her consciousness.

So what simple reminder can you create to prompt you to remember that:

“The people you are working for are waiting for you at home”

Mr Big

If she is quiet tonight then be kind.  I think realising how few special days she has left with her boy really hit home how transient childhood is for him.  In fact we both shed a few tears.

Monday 20 September 2010

THE GOLDEN ROLODEX CHALLENGE

READY TO START BUILDING YOUR BRAND?

Yup!! That’s right, before you even start building a business (or manifesting your dream life) you need to get real about who you are as a brand.

You have unique talents, quirks and strengths – and part of this process is to let you have some magical Aha! moments about yourself.

But lets not kid ourselves here dudes.  Sometimes the birthing process of a new business or a new life is down to pen to paper, start at the beginning and work through to the end stuff.  Foundations that have to be there before you can start building something spectacular.

One of the most important pieces of advice I was ever given as a business builder was that it’s more about farming than it is about hunting.  Tonight you start the ongoing process of building a rolodex of relationships that your are going to nurture and support and that will eventually blossom into fabulous business generating fruit – and you will do it all, by doing what we do best – building and maintaining personal relationships, not by rushing in for the sale.

Grab a notepad and a pen and start creating a list of at least 250 people that you know well enough to pick up the phone and tell them that you have decided to start doing business in a different way.

Think of the people you already do business with?
Think of the people you would like to do business with?
Who makes money when you make money?
Who can you pass business to you?
Who can pass you business?
Who do you just plain like?
Who motivates and stimulates you?
Who is already working in a field you want to get into?
Who is your biggest competitor?

Get creative as to who is on your list.  The coffee dude at our local cafĂ© was on mine, as was the copier guy, the water cooler guy and the parking attendant for our covered car park.

Between them they have currently referred me over $750,000 of business in the last 10 years – and although they have all moved on in their lives, we are still in touch and we still generate business together

And if you think that 250 people is too much – can I just point out that you already have a golden Rolodex of 100 people on this very blog.  Here are motivated positive people who are going to want o help you build your business if they only knew the most useful way to do so.

So here is another challenge that is going to take you a few days to complete – 250 names in a list in, well shall we say 3 days?

Trust me, I will be back

Mr Big

Sunday 19 September 2010

YOUR SUCCESS HABIT 1 - PLAY

Hello my British friends

A short challenge this evening to let you enjoy the last of your fun-filled weekend.

So did you play?  Did you discover that it doesn’t take hours of preparation and lots of money to create moments of joy in your life?

To be truly creative in your life – you need to reconnect with that child-like part of yourself that still sees the “infinite possibilities” – so the first part of tailoring a truly exceptional life made to fit the real you is to take time to play.

So grab your diary and schedule some play-dates with yourself – I need you to make at least 7 to start creating a new habit – and here’s the important thing.  When the busy stuff of life shows up, I need you to honour these dates with yourself as a priority. 

Your kids need you to ferry them to the mall- sorry I have a appointment.  Your boss springs a last minute project on you – sorry I have commitments.  Your partner calls late to ask you to pack in another errand – sorry I won’t have time I have somewhere to be.

YOU – and the life you are slowly gestating are the priority for these small chunks of time.  I’m not saying neglect your family – what I am saying is don’t neglect yourself.

Get that pen and do it now.

I will be back

Mr Big

Friday 17 September 2010

YOUR WEEKEND CHALLENGE

Are you having some fun yet?

So did you identify any moments of joy?  Take a break now for a couple of days and see how many of these moments you are prompted to experience.

Take some time to play as a child again, visit the beach, or the pool.  Buy a copy of a treasured childhood book and indulge in some sleepy afternoon reading.  Eat two deserts instead of your vegetables. Take some children and go fly a kite …………………….. what will your weekend adventure be?

Enjoy your weekend – I will be back on Sunday to set you some challenges for the week ahead.

Mr Big

Thursday 16 September 2010

THE WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP CHALLENGE

Over the last few days I’ve had you looking forward a little and imagining what your perfect future could be, be let me ask you a rather revealing question.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Now you could chicken out of this exercise and give me a stock answer, “a nurse” “ a fire-fighter” an  “astronaut” – or you could use this as a reflective tool to think back and find out what made you passionate as a kid. But don’t worry this isn’t about resigning from your current job and running off to join the circus.

What was it that propelled you from your bed in the early hours at weekends ready to play all day until you fell into your bed at night and slept a deep fulfilling and refreshing sleep?

Yes this exercise is about finding out what really “makes your heart sing” – those things you did as a child that you instinctively knew were good for your soul to do. It’s about stripping back the artifices of our daily “Grown-up” life and finding those little connections to moments of joy.

Did you love to ride your bike – freewheeling down hills with the wind in your hair?? I did, I still do on occasion – but with significantly less hairJ.  Did you love the feeling of plunging into a cool blue pool on a hot day? What about wrapping up in a blanket and spending a rainy afternoon in a tent?  Flying a kite? Fishing with grandpa. Picnics on the beach? Building snowmen in the yard?

What were your favourite activities as a child?  What could you do best that no-one else could do?  Where did you excel?  What did you dream of?  More importantly – when did you stop dreaming?

Think back to when you were a kid – and life was all about infinite possibilities, and hold onto that feeling.

Memorygirl remembered that she used to create plays in her back garden for her parents and the local kids – I don’t think it was a coincidence that she ended up as a West End stage manager. 

She also remembers hours and hours spent drawing and painting –and although she tells me “she colours in for a living”, essentially that’s indeed what her beautiful mind maps are.

So dig back into your memories – and find out what those precious touchstones were, and maybe even start a plan to reintroduce them into your life.

After all the occasional “stolen moment” eating an ice-cream or a handful of jelly beans, sitting in your suit, in the sun before a meeting is a wonderful way to create a little joy into your life.  I know – I ate the ice cream yesterday – and I will again in the future.

So what are going to be your moments of joy in the future?

After all it’s never to late to have a second childhood.

Mr Big


Wednesday 15 September 2010

THE RESPECT YOUR MONEY CHALLENGE

Do you respect your money?  The money that actually moves through your hands?

Here’s a little periodic trick that I play with myself when I need to concentrate on appreciating the flow of money through my life

I promise you that this will take minutes this evening to do – but pay attention to how it gently changes your attitude towards money over the next few weeks.

First I need you to get up and go and fetch you purse or wallet or whatever you use on a day-to-day basis that holds your money – and your plastic money too.

Are you back with me yet??

Now I need you to tip everything – and I mean absolutely everything contained in your wallet out onto the table in front of you.

Now ditch the old receipts, the travel ticket stubs, the chewing gum wrappers – all the crappy stuff that has accumulated over the weeks and months since you have acquired your wallet.

Replace any of your “folding stuff” – all the faces facing the same was, high notes to small ones and put back in to your wallet neatly, the same with your travel-card, donor card, library card, ID cards, staff passes, drivers licence, right up to the plastic money that we can all use with gay abandon at times.

So now your money lives in a newly decluttered environment – you have space to see and to appreciate what you have financially.  You have a breathing space to consider when spending before you open your newly organised wallet and make a rational and conscious decision to purchase rather than a knee-jerk one.

Does that makes you feel better, more in control and organised?  Why not really for it tonight and declutter your working bag or briefcase too.

The feng-shui of wallets – we could be onto a winner here J

Mr Big

Tuesday 14 September 2010

YOUR NEXT CHALLENGE

Another quick contact from me this evening – like you guys I also have a day-job J

So today we are still working with your perfect week exercise – I bet some of you have already started down the road of creating those things your heart truly desires within your life.

Did you surprise yourself with some of the things you listed?  It’s quite an enlightening exercise isn’t it?

Time to choose one thing from your “Must Have” list – choose something you feel would be wonderful to achieve for yourself in the next month or so and commit – I mean really commit to achieving it within the near future. Start to build a habit of success, an expectation that having defined what you truly want that it will manifest within your life in its perfect time.

Having chosen you target goal – pop a note in your diary in 30 days to remind you to check in on the progress of your goal ……………. And then……………..

Brainstorm as many crazy, original, outrageous, outlandish ways of bringing what your truly desire into your life. Don’t edit yourself justthrow as many down on a sheet of paper as possible.

Can you come up 10
20,
50,
100 – more??

Don’t get too hung up on how you are doing to do any of these things, just have some fun writing them down, get silly don’t get serious.

Remember how Memorygirl manifested a school building in three days?  She set the intention but didn’t get hung up on how the building would appear - ,just that it would. She shared with me that she brainstormed 150 ideas of where the building would appear from – and although the local council were on the list, it was way down the line and not one she ever seriously considered.

Who would have thought it would have turned up from the source it did?

So who can come up with the craziest way to achieve their first hearts desire?

Mr Big

Monday 13 September 2010

NEW CHALLENGE - NOT!!!!

Hello my Friends of a friend



A very short challenge tonight – take your “perfect week exercise”, settle yourself down on your couch and read with as much passion as you can generate.

See its not all about going a mile a minute.

Enjoy your evening.

Mr Big

Sunday 12 September 2010

THE “WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT” CHALLENGE

So you’ve completed your “Perfect Week” challenge – and I hope you are feeling totally inspired at the wonderfully abundant and adventurous life that could be waiting for you when you open your eyes tomorrow.


Now I need you to create three lists using the details contained in your “Perfect Week” exercise. These three lists are titled:


MUST HAVES:


WOULD LIKE TO HAVE:


WOULD BE OK BUT I COULD LIVE WITHOUT:






MUST HAVES: this is where you list the absolute deal breakers, he things that you must absolutely, no questions asked, have in your life.


I’m hoping your spouse, your kids and your pets are on this list – but if not, you may have your reasons and an even bigger reason to start making some plans.


Must you have – the house the office, the studio? What about transport? Great health? Fantastic Fitness?


Everything that you absolutely cannot do without in your perfect new life needs to find its way onto this list.






WOULD LIKE TO HAVE: the stuff on this list has less of an emotional draw than the first.

On this list you will find the woollier stuff – they “I’d like to lose a bit of weight” as opposed to the “I will lose 12lbs to fit into my wedding dress” stuff.


The bits that would be kind of neat to have – but if you had the “Must Haves” you would actually be ok not to have these for a while until they come along. These are the mid-goals that shouldn’t stop you getting the big fat juicy goals in your first list.






WOULD BE OK BUT I COULD LIVE WITHOUT: This is the – “yeah that would be kind of cool but I could live without” stuff.


This is where I have our home herb garden – its really not important to me, but incredibly important to my SAHA (Stay at home Angel) – so naturally we have one!


This is where she would list my ride-on mower, whereas it’s way top of my “Must have” list.


Compile your lists – then pull them into a pile in order and pin them up so that only the “Must Haves” are showing. From now on these are your desires for the universe to start working on – and that’s before we even get down and dirty with some serious goal setting.

Get those lists done – then grab yourself some couch time with someone you love.


I will be back soon

Mr Big

LETTER FROM MR BIG 4

A very quick letter to you all on this Sunday – I hope you all had a more relaxing day than Memorygirl had. Things really ramped up a gear with her today as I pushed her a little faster and further than comfort really permitted.


Still 50 days is a short time – so focus is the key.


I’m hoping you all had a wonderful time with yesterdays challenge and that you found out a lot about the real “touchstones” that are in your life.


Don’t worry; I’m not going to send you a massive challenge tonight. It will be brief and to the point – but powerful in its brevity.


After you complete tonight’s challenge, pop your “perfect week” challenge into your diary or planner so that you can carry it with you. For the rest of the year you will always have to hand some of the most powerfully inspirational reading on the planet – because it was created by you specially for you. If you get stuck in the grocery queue, waiting for a train or find a spare moment at your desk I hope that this will be one of the first pieces you reach for.

If you can imagine it – you can have it.


Read you letter to your future self with all the passion you can muster and wait as wonderfully powerful coincidences start manifesting in your life.


Mr Big

Saturday 11 September 2010

THE CHALLENGE - Your Perfect Week

I’m sure hoping you have had a super Saturday. I’m spending it with my family having a great time just hanging out and being – being the real me, not the mile-a-minute-man of my weekday existence.

In fact if you promise not to tell anyone J I will let you in on a secret. I’m sitting here in my favourite battered flip-flops and cut off jeans, a cold drink to hand and I haven’t even brushed my hair all day. Tonight’s dinner will be BBQ and beer, because for all my hi-faluting travels and great restaurant experiences, a family dinner is really the one that lifts your heart isn’t it?


Today has been one of my perfect days – but they don’t happen by accident, they happen by design.


From my year planner to my daily diary I decide to make choices congruent to what is important to me – and one of the things that’s really important to me is my beautiful wife and my wonderful kids.


So what’s important to you – I mean what is really important to you??? Sometimes that question takes a little “diggin down deep” to get to the answers locked up inside your heart.


Your next challenge is to decide to live not only a perfect day – but a perfect week. But don’t panic I’m not gonna make you do it for real (yet) but I want you to spend some time writing out in detail everything that you see, smell, do, hear and experience from getting up on a Monday morning (do you get excited about the week ahead) right through to slipping between the sheets on a Sunday night.


And I want you to get right in there and give yourself great details to work with.


Maybe you should try mind-mapping this exercise and really get in touch with your creativity (I’m learning how to use this tool from Memorygirl’s book and I have to say I am blown away by how simply she explains such a powerful strategy)


…………….so what would you experience in having a perfect week?


Don’t edit yourself – just let the words keep coming, let them flow out of you as you work down through your layers to tap into the “realer you” as my kids say.


If you get stuck –well remember your high school English teacher – use the 5 W’s
….. Who is there?


….. What is around you?


….. Where are you exactly?


….. When is it?


……Why are you there?


I know, I know it’s a bit formulaic – but sometimes you need a lunch-pad to get you to creativity.


Have fun my little Brits.


Mr Big

LETTER FROM MR BIG 3

Howdy!!


Saturday already – huh!! And I had some more time online with Memorygirl today. You Brits and your perfect manners do make me laugh. I’m sure Memorygirl felt like cussing me out several times today, but no, she was the perfect lady all the way through. I do love her accent when she calls me “Suurrrr” – you all know she’s from Scotland right? Well her accent is very much of the sexy Sean Connery type rather than the Billy Connelly type. It’s so cute.


I’m trying to get her to stick her peg in the ground when it comes to a financial target for the year ahead – and she very politely and may I say even skilfully managed to wriggle out of giving me a direct answer – not many people can get around me like that.


We already know that she “wants” to be earning about $88 an hour – the equivalent of £80k per annum. That’s a pretty good income from a standing start – but she is struggling to lift her aim higher.

So – to get my own back!! Well to get things moving apace I went back to the MSE thread to see if she ever mentioned a substantial financial goal. I came across two amounts – so I need you guys to choose the goal for Memorygirl for her “Big Fat Scary Financial Target”. A target of how much money she can generate in her first12 months back in business. By evading my question she has relinquished all rights to make this next decision.


The first amount is £126,000 – which I think is the amount of her mortgage (which I believe she would like to pay off “in cash in pound coins on a Friday before a bank holiday” just to make a point. The joy of choosing this goal would be that we could all be there in person (via video footage if necessary) to actually help her carry the bags of money into the bank. That could be kind of fun I think.


Now don’t shoot me down guys, but having spent a week or so in touch with Memorygirl on a daily basis, I think she should aim higher. I believe she could be the one that blasts through any records so far on this programme – although she has a fair bit of internal work to do to make her congruent with her external skills. She is currently running for the bus rather than sprinting the 100 metres if you remember my previous analogy.


So the second amount would be £400,000. That corresponds to the amount of equity absorbed by the bank when Madame Memorygirl was Credit crunched. Now that’s a pretty steep number to aim for over a year – but if you were to slip the rules a little and say that by the end of the 12 months Memorygirl should have done – or booked into her diary £400,000 worth of business I think we could be onto a winner.


(I’m only willing to slip the rules on this one because by the very nature of the business Memorygirl will be entering she will booking out her diary a year or so in advance for high end conferences etc) The lead-time can be that long at the level I think she should be operating at.


So over to you guys! You make the choice because she wouldn’t!


Mr Big

Friday 10 September 2010

The Challenge - THE ELIMINATION LIST

So have you ever wanted a fairy Godmother to appear and wave a magic wand and make all the crap that bugs you on a daily basis just disappear?

So play with me a little here. I want you to take a stroll through your life and compile a list of things you want to eliminate.


- things in your environment


- the heaving bookshelves of stuff you never read


- old hobbies


- inherited junk that’s makes your heart sink not your soul soar


- those toxic relationships you need to dump


- the bad habits you’ve gathered over the years (like smoking – or that martini too far)


- smothering bosses


- bitching workmates


You know –the stuff that grinds you down day after day but that you have even given up noticing never even mind acknowledging that these could be things you could decide to change.


Now here’s the important part – I don’t want you to do anything with the list other than write it down, seal it in and envelope and date the outside with the 24th December 2011. This is going to be my Christmas present to you in a little over a year’s time – one of the first in a series of love letters that you are going to receive on that date from yourself in the past to yourself in the future.


Now tuck this little letter away somewhere safe that you can be sure you will find again – and have yourself a relaxing Friday evening.


Mr Big

LETTER FROM MR BIG 2


A happy Friday evening to you all – and well done to each and ever one that attempted to do some calculations yesterday.


Whether or not you actually came up with a number is actually quite academic – what I really want you to be able to identify is your coping strategy when you are challenged to do something that raises a lot of emotion in you. There’s nothing quite like raising the emotions like talking about dollars and cents. (That should probably be pounds and pennies). Knowing a number you’d like to work towards that you feel is way out of your comfort zone is an important tool in your arsenal for change.


So what was your reaction? Did you want to flee? Did you want to fight? Did you feel yourself rebelling? Did you decide to face the challenge head on? Did you wildly swing between any of these emotions before settling somewhere different? We each have our own way of raising our game and heading towards a challenge – what’s yours?


Well done on the online discussions – I really admire those of you who admitted you were way out of your comfort zone and then talked yourself around to admitting that there might just be another viewpoint before settling with a – “bring it on” attitude. It shows great emotional maturity to be able to get to that point.


I realise that Memorygirl had a massive offer of help today – an “easy” solution to her immediate cash-flow problem. My first reaction was to acknowledge how much you must actually like this “crazy lady” to step up and offer such significant assistance.


My second reaction, well I think she made a brave decision, but because it was a considered one I feel it is the right one for her to make. Although I do hope you will all continue to support her in other ways and if her situation doesn’t improve you will step in to prevent her and her little family from sinking.


Now, to Madame Hypno06. Should you ever decide to make another significant life change I do hope you will consider life coaching? I can see a lady who can cut through the crap and see the real meat of things – you will be a great asset to this adventure.


You are right – I need you all to start seriously looking at your value – the one you perceive you have and the one the market will determine you have. You are worth even more than the market will dictate when you take on board that your are completely unique in the universe, precious and infinitely priceless.


I didn’t realise when we stared that Memorygirl is the five times World Mind-Mapping Champion. An actual real live International Grand Master of mind-mapping – the best in the world in her profession and yet she stared today questioning her worth against other “corporate trainers”.


She hasn’t quite made the heart-shift that she is an Olympic standard sprinter compared to those who run for fun. I will keep working on her – but if anyone knows how to make her see sense I would sure appreciate the help.


So Madame Hyppno06 – do I agree that Memorygirl should charge more for her postage – hell yes! But I also think she should charge more for the book (received my copy today by courier so I am not just spouting out my yazoo). Let me ask those that have received the book to feed back to her what you would pay for the book in your stores there – I’m sure you value it greater than ten bucks.


Memorygirl has been kept busy today compiling some lists for me – but the good news is that this first weekend has in store some “Funwork” for you all – stuff to get you thinking and stuff to get you moving too.


Mr Big

Thursday 9 September 2010

SOME HOMEWORK -

So are you ready to begin? You need to get a handle on the reality of your numbers before we start moving forward – and remember I asked you to work out your PSB? Do you still have that piece of paper to hand? Have you worked out the very minimum amount you need to survive as a family?
 Well grab yourself another sheet of paper.
 Well write down the money you have coming in on a monthly basis on the bottom of a sheet of paper. Add 10% to that number and write it above the first number – then score out your original amount.

THIS NEW NUMBER IS YOUR DANGER AMOUNT!!!!!!!!!!!

If you think I’m crazy – then answer yourself (honestly) the following question.

“If I were earning this amount of money would I be happy?”

I’m willing to bet that today, your answer would be “Yes” –If you had a little more money than you currently have you would have a happy life – right?

Well lets face it if you were really, really unhappy with the income you have coming in you would have already done something about it, you would already be focussing on multiple ways to increase your income, you would already be creative about finding and seizing the opportunities that surround us everyday.


Maybe being on here is the first step towards you doing that – right?


I do need you to get dissatisfied with the income you currently have – but I want you to excited about the opportunity you have in the future for creating a fine financial future for your family.


So strike out you danger amount – it’s a number you need to be aware of – but you are no longer going to focus on.

Double you income – now if you are feeling brave, double it again and write that number at the top of your piece of paper. A fourfold increase in your income – how does that feel? Too scary, or are you getting curious and already thinking of how you are going to achieve and surpass that target?? That’s the number you need moving forward.


Now you may want to grab a calculator and follow me through doing some maths that’s gonna change the way you shape your life. (Memorygirl I need you to post you working out to this when you throw me up onto the Blog – and be 100% honest with yourself because this is important) I want you all to start considering another number in your life – your hourly rate.


Take a new sheet of paper and write your new amount at the very top.


These are the workings out from Memorygirl’s conversation with me this afternoon.

OK – so we assume that in your new life you are gonna want to take 8 weeks holiday in the summer (you got your boys to have adventure with) and 2 weeks over Christmas and maybe another 4 weeks as “short breaks” over the span of your year. So you will be working for yourself for 52 – 14 weeks or 38 weeks.


I want you to allocate one day a week for “working on your business” – so you are only going to be generating revenue for 4 days per week.


I only want you to be working 6 hours per day – you have young boys to consider and to be a success I need you to give your home life the same priority as you work life.


So I need you to work out what your minimum hourly rate will be for the six hours a day that you will be working.


So your total at the top


Divide the number by 38 weeks


Divide that number by 4 days


And divide that number by 6 hours


So you got your hourly rate worked out yet???


Over to you. Use the same assumptions as Memorygirl and work out what your hourly rate is. Is this more or less than you are making at your employment? I hope its more – because then we can have some fun moving you towards a bigger, brighter financial future.


Write this number up and post it up where you can see it– make a declaration that this is what you are worth per hour to the universe………… in reality you are worth so much more.


…………….. you do know that don’t you??


I will be back tomorrow


Mr Big

Letter from Mr Big

Well you guys don’t believe in giving me a quiet life do you – I thought I’d lost my trailblazer there for a moment. So I’d better fill you in on what you have signed up for here.


My plan was to take a nice leisurely (ironic) stroll through some personal development and business building tools – stepping you through 150 days where you could identify exactly what you want to be when you grow up; create a rock-solid plan of how to get there and then leverage the power you have working together to create power teams that support, challenge and achieve together.


…………… and that is still the plan ……………… as well!


What I didn’t appreciate to begin with is that the person we chose to be your trailblazer would turn out to be quite so resourceful or so motivated to making change happen fast. Adversity is a truly remarkable motivator.


I also have been astounded at how you rally around and support one another when things don’t do exactly to “your” plan – I still believe the universe has a plan for Memorygirl – just not the one that was going to take 150 days.


So with your permission I would like to propose something a little different. Memorygirl will still be your trailblazer – only I will work with her on accelerating this programme whilst mentoring you all through the process too. A two-pronged approach if you will……………… but with the self same condition attached. If Memorygirl drops out, someone else can step in.


The only question I need you to consider is whether you will support Memorygirl in getting back to work in not 150 days but in 50 days or less. If you guys in Britain pull this off then you will beat the groups I have here in the states hands down.


I think what will happen is that there will be a core of you that decide to plunge headfirst and work alongside Memorygirl, whilst the rest take a more considered and sedate passage through the exercises. I really couldn’t be more delighted whatever route you choose as long as you come along on this adventure.


Mr Big

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Where I used to work


This is where I used to work - not the most practical arrangement - but it did mean that I could be online whilst literally stirring dinner.  My home office is at the furthest reaches of this house and on a different floor from where DS2 plays.  I want to be around him - so I try to work close to him, and this is where I ended up.  Trouble was, it annoyed the hell out of me every time I went into the kitchen and I never felt that I could keep everything tidy.

So I went shopping to the local Charity Furniture Project and look what I got for £4.00.


Now I know its not beautiful - yet.  But I'm thinking that with a coat of cream paint and a zingy interior it could be the launch pad for somehting fabulous.  Even better is that I can sit on a chair to work so no more sore back for me!!!!!!!!!  DS2 keeps coming out of the livingroom or his bedroom depending on what he's playing to check I'm ok, but touch wood doesn't seem drawn to want to playhere at all.

So my "Clean up challenge" is underway and I have somewhere to work - and I've worked out my PSB.

Lets see how many of us make it to Thursday and the next challenge.

All clean and shiny


Where the OS magic happens.  Everything has been cleaned inside and out - would even let my Mother into my kitchen to rummage - LOL.  Special items of note - the OS trinity of breadmaker, slowcooker and barrel for home-made biscuits.  China chook for storing eggs is called "Audrey".  The thing lurking in the corner shaped like a UFO is my halogen oven which we use daily for bread, baking and fabulous toast.

The Clean - up challenge


Ready for our menu-planned dinners

The Clean up challenge


BEFORE ; Monday morning chaos


Know Your Numbers: your PSB

Good Morning my Transatlantic Pen pals


Well done Memorygirl on all your “cleaning house” – and yes I am sure we will all want to see the pictures of you shiny new home – ready for building shiny new life.


Here’s a piece of homework for you all as you get ready for take-off on Thursday, a question to ponder if you will as you clean and create space in your lives for the wonderful possibilities to come.


Not everyone needs or wants to be rich; not that there is anything wrong with being rich, but for my money – being affluent is where its at. But you “gotta know your numbers” – so the question you all need to answer is


“What is your PSB (Personal Survival Budget)?


This is the very minimum amount of money that you would need to make every month to pay your dues, keep your family afloat and pay down your debts. Now knowing which site I found you guys on I am guessing that most of you will know this number pretty well.


Go work out your number and write it down and post it up where you can see it every day – we will come back to this in a few days.


Contented cleaning – go make some space for the magic to come.

Mr Big

Sunday 5 September 2010

Challenge 2 - Clear the Decks

I hope you enjoyed “Pursuit of Happyness” – yes, I was keeping an eye on what was happening.
OK – so you have sold 30 books in a week. You have the makings of a Business – it is where I started after all.

You built a web presence in 2 hours and you have gathered 30 followers, on a Sunday evening, in less than three hours – you have the critical mass to begin to grow a community that benefits you all. Congratulations – you pass challenge 1.

Challenge 2: You have 4 days to get ready for building a business that rocks. You now to get very real about what is about to happen over the next few weeks and that is going to mean making some serious choices. After your boys, this is going to have to be your TOP priority, so clean you house, clear your diary and sort yourself somewhere to work that means you can be productive and happy.

Most importantly I want you to start saying, “Yes” to every offer of help that people make to you. I want you to start accepting assistance with good grace – until you are happy receiving help – how can you be the one offering help from a position of strength and stability. Every offer of help made to you is made honourably and with the best for all concerned – accept in the manner it is given.

I challenge your friends to move forward being aware that at some point they might themselves in a position to help you – or may find themselves moved to go above and beyond for what I think is a pretty deserving cause. Know that I too believe in the law of Karma or reciprocity – what you give will return to you seven-fold.

Remember Memorygirl you will owe these people a debt in the future that I expect you to spend a lifetime joyfully repaying to others in kind.

I will be back on Thursday with your next challenge.

This is bigger than you alone – but you are a pretty good place to start a revolution.

Mr Big (because it made me laugh to be compared as such)

Challenge 1

"4.30 pm GMT : Your first challenge is to find a home for this challenge on the web. The MSE site retains all copyright and together you will be creating stuff you will want to retain. I need you to create a blog, setting out the background and allowing people to subscribe - you have two hours to send me the link - then I will send you your next challenge"